Clean Eating 101: Lessons + Recipes from Chef Candice Kumai

“Clean eating” is one of those phrases that’s thrown around a lot these days, but there isn’t just one diet that really nails it. It’s like saying you want to “eat healthy” — for some people that’s just managing portion control, and for others it’s signing up for a Beyoncé-approved vegan home-delivery service. In both cases, it might not be clear what it is, but it sounds good, right?

Don’t Just Detox — Reset Your Taste Buds

Detoxing is all the rage, but it’s not fun and it’s not permanent. So skip the cleanse and focus your energies on a reset instead. That means retraining your taste buds to, y’know, actually enjoy the healthy food you’re eating. Chef Candice suggests some very tasty swaps to help develop your palate. Need something salty and crunchy? Say no to potato chips and om nom nom to roasted almonds with herbs, olive oil and garlic powder. Getting one of those mid-afternoon cravings? “No need to be hangry, girl!” she tells us. Just snack on her guacamole with a twist (recipe below!) for a guilt-free snack that will keep you full until dins.

Go Green With Some Unexpected Choices

Chef Candice is a food lover after our own heart: “Kale is definitely my bestie,” she says. Keep stocking up, because it’s not going anywhere, then try some up-and-comers like dandelion and broccoli rabe, which are always in season. Once autumn rolls around, keep your eyes peeled for kabocha squash, which she predicts will be popular come fall because of its sweet, robust and pumpkin-y flavor. And as for your regular greens, you can’t go wrong with spinach, watercress and arugula.

Meat Is a Treat

Going clean means eating green, so Chef Candice really wants your vegetables to shine in all of your meals. But that doesn’t mean you have to go full-on vegetarian or vegan. Consume all meat in moderation, she advises, and shop meat from local farmers’ markets to make sure it’s fresh, hormone-free and raised humanely.

The Beauty of Eating Clean

In Chef Candice’s earlier cookbooks, Cook Yourself Sexy and Pretty Delicious, you can discover recipes that don’t just make you feel better, but also make you look better. She revealed to us her top five fave health foods that also double as beauty “products.”

1. Avocados: “They are the ultimate get-gorgeous food! Key for shiny hair, skin and nails, avocados contain healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.”

2. Berries: “Berries are loaded with anti-inflammatory agents, vitamins and antioxidants that help protect you from premature aging.”

3. Flaxseeds: “They provide a mega-boost of omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for optimum brain function, a healthy heart and radiant skin. Studies show both omega-6 fatty acids and the omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseeds help soothe skin conditions like acne or eczema. Make sure to get ground flaxseed for the best benefits.”

4. Almond butter: “It’s packed with vitamin E, manganese and selenium, which help keep your hair shiny. The vitamin E in almonds and almond butter can also help protect your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays. Vitamin E and almond oil can also be used topically on the body as a beauty serum.”

5. Sweet potatoes: “Sweet potatoes can help boost immunity and aid in glowing, gorgeous skin. Full of beta-carotene, sweet potatoes can help maintain bright, healthy eyes and protect your beautiful skin from UV exposure.”

Dark Chocolate Almond + Coconut Bowl

Yup, this tasty dessert IS a clean-eating recipe. “No one can believe that this recipe contains greens when they taste it,” she tells us. “Blending smoothie bowls is a great way to sneak your greens in without anyone ever knowing. You are getting all the benefits of dark, leafy greens while still having a decadent, delicious dessert.”

Serves 2

Ingredients:

— 1 1/2 frozen bananas

— 1/4 cup whole natural almonds

— 3/4 cup kale, stems removed, chopped

— 3 tbsp unsweetened Dutch (dark) cocoa powder

— 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

— 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

— 1 scoop pea protein powder (optional)

— 1/2 tsp spirulina powder (optional)

Optional Toppings:

— whole almonds

— sliced almonds

— fresh mint

— sliced banana

— almond butter

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve and divide the smoothie mix immediately into two serving bowls and top with your choice of toppings. Enjoy!

Cold Sweet Pea Basil Soup

“This soup is a perfect and quick go-to recipe to have on hand. Canned soups have lots of hidden sodium, ingredients and preservatives. Making this clean and fresh recipe allows you to control what goes into your meal,” says Candice.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

— 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

— 1 yellow onion, finely chopped

— 1 16-ounce package frozen peas, thawed

— 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves

— 1/4 tsp sea salt

— 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for finishing

— 1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

— Sliced almonds for garnish

Optional Toppings:

— fresh mint or basil leaves

— one dollop Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. In a small sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until fragrant, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Add the cooled onion mixture to a blender or food processor, followed by the peas, basil leaves and salt. Blend to combine. Stream in the almond milk and vegetable broth until the mixture has a nice, velvety soup consistency.

3. Serve the soup at room temperature or chilled with the extra almond milk and garnished with sliced almonds to finish.

4. If desired, top with fresh mint or basil leaves and a dollop of Greek yogurt for an extra boost of protein!

Guacamole With a Twist

“Enjoy delicious, ripe, creamy, green, heart-healthy avocados — nature’s perfect food — with the sneaky addition of arugula in this dip. It is a fabulously delicious way to indulge in chips and guac without the guilt.” We’ll definitely dip to that, Candice!

Ingredients

— 3 avocados, halved and pitted, peeled and cubed

— 1⁄4 small red onion, finely diced

— 1 1⁄2 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce

— juice of 1⁄2 lime

— 1 cup wild baby arugula

— 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped or whole leaves (optional)

Directions

Place the avocados in a medium bowl. Using a fork, gently smash and stir the avocado, breaking it up into a chunky mass, leaving some avocado bits whole. Add the onion, tamari soy sauce and lime juice and stir to combine. Top with wild arugula and the cilantro, if using. Taste with a chip and add salt if needed.

Have you tried or considered adopting a clean-eating lifestyle? What effects has it had on your life? Share your experience in the comments!

(Food photos via Candice Kumai; photo of Candice Kumai via Andrew Lipovsky)

I truly feel like I’ve been living under a rock when it comes to what’s good at Whole Foods. Turns out, they’ve been hiding some really impressive deals on groceries in the shadows, but I’m here to shed some light on ‘em. Whole Foods offers savings every week, and I’m fully convinced that my local Whole Foods will be seeing a whole lot more of me from now on.

Scroll on for details on Whole Foods’ top deals to shop starting today!

Kaboompics / PEXELS

1. BOGO 50% off packaged soups (Tuesdays)

Tuesdays and Fridays are the main days of the week that Whole Foods offers savings on their groceries. The first amazing deal for Tuesdays is BOGO 50% off packaged soups – perfect for this time of year!

They’ve got every kind of flavor from minestrone and chicken noodle to Italian wedding and broccoli cheddar. Their packaged soups average out at about $9 per 24-ounce tub, so saving 50% on one when you buy one is pretty good, especially for meal prep purposes.

Lukas / PEXELS

2. $2 off classic and organic rotisserie chickens (Tuesdays)

You can take $2 off two kinds of Whole Foods’ rotisserie chickens every Tuesday. Their classic rotisserie chicken goes for $9 while the organic version sells for $13. I love using rotisserie chicken for soups, sandwiches, wraps, and pastas, so getting a whole chicken to use for recipes all week long for just $7 is so nice!

Nadin Sh / PEXELS

3. $8 large cheese pizzas (Friday)

Sometimes you just do not feel like cooking on a Friday evening after work – that’s where this Whole Foods savings hack comes in! Every Friday, you can get a large cheese pizza for $8. While there’s nothing wrong with a plain cheese pizza (nostalgia galore!), I’d take advantage of this deal then bulk up my slices with various toppings like peppers, pepperoni, and olives.

Nadin Sh / PEXELS

4. 12 for $12 wild caught oysters (Friday)

Ooh, fancy! Every Friday, Whole Foods’ wild caught oysters go for $1 a pop. Buy a dozen for just $12, and you’re golden. This deal would be perfect for a bougie at-home date night.

Pixabay / PEXELS

5. BOGO 50% off packaged sushi rolls (Friday)

This is another great date night pick! Buy one packaged sushi roll, and get another 50% off on Fridays only. From rainbow rolls to California rolls, this Whole Foods savings hack has my cravings going crazy.

Minchephoto Photography / PEXELS

6. $10 family-sized tiramisu (Friday)

Got a hankering for a sweet treat? Don’t fret – you can shop a whole family-sized serving of tiramisu at Whole Foods for just $10 every Friday.

Kseniia Lopyreva / PEXELS

7. $12 bottles of prosecco (Friday)

The death of the work week and start of the weekend is obviously a cause for celebration, and Whole Foods has you covered with $12 bottles of Presto prosecco every Friday. Cheers!

Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more deals!

As much as I love celebrity couples, I love celebrity sibling relationships even more. And Elle and Dakota Fanning are two sisters I've grown up watching since I first saw Dreamer in 2005. Considering Elle Fanning is only five months older than me, and I have a sister of my own, this is one relationship that feels particularly familiar. And while Elle has also watched Dakota Fanning act since we were kids, Dakota just revealed seeing Elle onscreen is just as special for her.

Here's why Dakota & Elle Fanning get emotional seeing each other onscreen.

Elle remembers "sobbing" during one particularly emotional Dakota Fanning movie.

“When Elle’s in anything, it makes me feel it deeper,” Dakota Fanning said at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit on December 3. “She never can fully disappear into a character totally for me as her sister. She obviously does an amazing job, but I’m always gonna see my little sister a little bit.”

And Elle is just as touched by Dakota's roles, and remembers "uncontrollably sobbing" after seeing Now Is Good, a movie where Dakota's character was dying of cancer. “Because it was my sister, I had a real traumatic reaction after that premiere and the screening,” Elle says. “Obviously the acting, but it was something felt on a deeper level.”

“I’m doing this job, I’m an actor because my sister started before me and I watched her,” Elle continues. “I wanted to do exactly what my big sister wanted to do.”

And their movies have also made an impact on everyone who watches them.

When Brit + Co caught up with Dakota Fanning at the world premiere of The Watchers, I had to ask about one of her most iconic movies: Uptown Girls. "I love it," she says of TikTok memes and edits giving the movie new life. "It's nostalgic for people who are kind of around my age, who grew up watching that movie, I think it's like a comfort movie for people. And so I love that people are still revisiting it and loving it. And maybe now that everyone's older [they're] understanding different things about it."

Dakota starred opposite Brittany Murphy, who also had roles in movies like Clueless, 8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted. Brittany passed away in 2009 when Dakota was 15. "I loved Brittany so much and I still miss her," she says. "So anytime that she has, you know, a moment where people think about her is also nice."

You can see Elle Fanning in A Complete Unknown, in theaters December 25, and you can also stream Dakota Fanning's new show The Perfect Couple on Netflix now.

Heaping plates of Christmas cookies are synonymous with the holidays. It seems that nearly every country around the globe has their own variation on the holiday classic. In fact, some of these regions have been making their version of Christmas cookies for literal hundreds of years.

If you’re looking for a way to reconnect with your heritage, or maybe just want a little baking inspiration, check out our picks for the yummiest Christmas cookies from around the world.

The Noshery

Mantecaditos con Guayaba

These may look like ordinary thumbprint cookies, but these almond shortbreads from Puerto Rico are filled with a special guava marmalade. (via The Noshery)

Broma Bakery

Meringues

French meringues are a classic crumbly egg white cookie with a chewy interior. These get an extra European twist with the addition of Nutella. (via Broma Bakery)

Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

Alfajores

Deeply flavored dulce de leche, a caramel made from whole milk commonly found in Spain and many Latin American countries, is the key ingredient in these super pretty sandwiched Christmas cookies. (via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.)

Fancy Peasant

Melomakarona

These Christmas cookies that hail from Greece get their sweetness from a generous soaking of fresh honey! (via Fancy Peasant)

Very Eatalian

Baci di Dama

The name of this Italian treat translates to “lady’s kisses” — how adorable is that? These bite-sized cuties are made with ground hazelnuts and filled with a dollop of dark chocolate. (via Very Eatalian)

Cooking Classy

Linzer Cookies

These Austrian Christmas cookies are typically made with raspberry jam, but feel free to get crazy with a filling of your choice. Plus, the gorgeous windowpane look will make them a prize takeaway at your next cookie exchange. (via Cooking Classy)

Olivia’s Cuisine

Basler Brunsli

If you’re hanging out in Switzerland around Christmas time, you’ll definitely see these chocolate treats around. They’re often described as Swiss brownies due to their deliciously chewy texture. Perfect with a cup of eggnog or coffee! (via Olivia’s Cuisine)

Cilantro Parsley

Buñuelos

These tender miniature fritters from Mexico are a mix between a donut and cookie. Whatever you want to call them, they’re delicious. (via Cilantro Parsley)

Chef Lindsey Farr

Apricot Kolachys

The Hungarians definitely know what’s up when tart apricot jam gets wrapped in a blanket of flaky pastry. They’re a bright spot on a cold Christmas day. (via Chef Lindsey Farr)

Life, Love and Sugar

Cutout Sugar Cookies

In the United States, a plate of these festively decorated sugar cookies is just what Santa ordered. (via Life, Love and Sugar)

Saveur

Polvorones

You’ll find these simple pecan shortbread cookies all over Mexico around this time of year. The coating of powdered sugar and canela, a type of Mexican cinnamon, really bring the flavor to the next level. (via Saveur)

A Healthy Life for Me

Pignoli

These Italian Christmas cookies are made of a chewy almond base and topped with pine nuts. (via A Healthy Life for Me)

Fancy Peasant

Kourabiedes

These Greek Christmas cookies feature a buttery biscuit topped with mass amounts of powdered sugar. (via Fancy Peasant)

Does your family have a traditional cookie recipe for the holidays? Tag us @BritandBo in your Instagram photos and let us know!

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

Lead image via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.